Motorists v cyclists – why can’t we all just get along?

In towns and cities across the UK, the tension between cyclists and drivers is reaching epic proportions. With car numbers growing by the month and more cyclists on the road thanks to the warmer weather, is it time for a truce? Why can't we all just get along?

A perceived lack of knowledge and respect for the rules of the road is the main catalyst for the tension between cyclists and drivers. Many cyclists have little or no experience of how they should ride on busy roads, and can therefore cause dangerous and frustrating situations for other road users. In many cases, drivers also have poor Highway Code know-how so ignorance plays a huge part here, on both sides.

For example, one official guideline by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and other road safety bodies recommends that cyclists should cycle "defensively in the middle of the road". Most drivers would find a cyclist cycling in the middle of the road irritating, and many wouldn't realise this is the proper thing to do.

Futuristic safety features

Drivers are selfish beings; they are stressed and weary of sharing the road with other drivers, vehicles of the two-wheeled, pedal-powered variety are just seen as an additional annoyance. Suddenly, with cyclists swarming all over the road they are presented with another hazard to watch out for, someone else trying to pinch 'their' road space. It's the wrong attitude but it will be a familiar one to many people.

But cyclists are to blame too, they can drive other road users mad just as effectively as car drivers. Lacking numberplates and therefore immune from traffic control cameras, some dart all over the road nonchalantly bypassing the rules. Even Boris Johnson, a commuter cyclist himself, recently spoke out against ''morally superior'' cyclists, whom he described as ''dreadlocked, Lycra-clad racers who jump red lights''.

Study: commuting puts health at risk

Cyclists get annoyed at drivers for driving into cycle lanes, opening doors in their path, and cutting them up at junctions, among other things. Drivers, on the other hand, get hot under the collar with cyclists ignoring road laws and riding precariously among traffic. Since the increase in the number of cyclists in cities is fairly recent

It's always worth motorists remembering that in a collision with a cyclist, they're protected by a steel shell, crumple zones and airbags - the cyclist may, or may not, have gloves and a helmet.

Another major problem is equality, with both drivers and cyclists battling each other for space around narrow streets and road systems in busy urban areas. On both sides it seems that courtesy and manners don't come high on the priority list.

Survey: majority of cyclists jump red lights

Knowing the rules of the road, and respecting these rules, would benefit both driver and cyclist. With more cyclists set to commute to work during the warmer months, here are some simple guidelines from the IAM to help drivers and cyclists get along better:

Tips for drivers:
Remember that cycists are more vulnerable on the road that car drivers. It's your responsibility to protect them and refreshing your memory of the Highway Code might help you see things from their point of view.

• Don't cut up a cyclist passing on the nearside when turning left. Never overtake then turn left across their front wheel
• Overtake gently. Passing a cyclist quickly might feel safe to you, but it doesn't to the cyclist
• Leave cyclists enough room when you pass them - they'll often have to move out to negotiate drains and potholes
• Take a second look before pulling out. It is too easy to overlook a cyclist approaching
• Check for bikes before opening the driver's door

Tips for cyclists:
Eighty-eight per cent of cyclists have been cut up by another road user who hasn't seen them. But as a cyclist, it is your safety at stake so ride defensively and always respect the Highway Code.

• Don't position yourself on the left of lorries and buses at junctions or undertake them on the left. The bus or lorry driver can't see you
• Always assume you have not been seen
• Claim the lane. Ride in the middle of the lane, moving to allow others past as needed, but don't hug the curb
• Make eye contact with drivers emerging from junctions, particularly if they are turning right
• Be seen. Check your lights, and wear high visibility clothes
  

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Read more tips on road safety here
Futuristic safety features
Study: commuting puts health at risk
Survey: majority of cyclists jump red lights